Sunday, December 2, 2012

Retirement for Aapla Sachin?

This appeared in Asian Age yesterday...

The Dreaded
‘R’- Word….

Why is it that super successful individuals
cannot but cannot call it quits when the time is right? Formula One had just
one God on the tracks for the longest time – and that was Michael Schumacher.
My husband was his ardent devotee. Perhaps, devotee is an understatement. Race
days were sacred, regardless of any other commitments or compulsions. I shan’t
mention the compulsions of a rather intimate nature – but, yes – those too.
Everything was put on hold till Schumi (of course, we had our very own pet name
for his hero) was on the podium spraying magnums of premium champagne on his
hysterical fans.It’s an unforgettable image… mainly because of how cold it really
was. There’s the great F1 champion, a tight little smile on his face. In his
hour of triumph and glory there’s no real exuberance on show. Just Germanic
smugness at his own unbeatable competence. I always found Schumacher robotic ,
mechanical and distant. “That’s what you women don’t seem to understand…”
explained my husband, using that annoying tone men adopt when they are about to
reveal a deeply cherished all-male trait. “ To be a world class winner – which
Schumi is, you need to be focused and unemotional. Schumi does not need to jump
up and down on that podium after claiming the championship. That sort of a
display is for amateurs – excitable kids. ”

I was thinking of all those comments when
Schumi bid his (I hope) final farewell to the sport on Sunday at Sao Paolo. Of
course, he didn’t shed tears. Of course, he remained gracious but determinedly
robotic. That’s him. Compare the sigh of relief that greeted his over delayed
goodbye, from the sobs that had marked his original ‘last lap’. Even that adieu
was a bit late in the day, considering he had not been at his best for a while.
But there was still some dignity left. And when he waved to his devastated
fans, there was genuine regret to watch him leave the very tracks he had burned
up while driving those killer cars.This time round there was jubilation. Hota
hai….fans are the same all over the world - heartless. Especially sports’ fans. They tend to get
fanatical about their heroes when those heroes are on top of the game. The same
fans become scarily unforgiving when the hero quits the sport.For those ruling
the roost right now,one can see it coming for a few…. starting with David
Beckham. He continues to have a great butt. But! His days as a top level
footballer are clearly numbered. Today, he’s being bought and sold across clubs
like so much chana. What a comedown!

Which brings me to our Cricketing God, Shri
Tendulkar. Nobody but nobody in the sports’ history of India
has enjoyed the staggering level of mass adulation as Aapla Sachin.
Alas,those same admirers are getting nervous today. The question on everybody’s
mind is the same : When will Sachin retire? Cruel. But there it is. This is a
question India has been asking for a while now. Things have finally come to a
head with his abysmal performance during the recently concluded Test match in
Mumbai against England, provoking Kapil Dev and Sunil Gavaskar sufficiently to
issue unambiguous statements that left no room for interpretation. Sachin has
to go. Whether Sachin himself takes his cue and quits instantly, remains to be
seen. As is his style, he has thrown the challenge at selectors, making it
really difficult for everybody. In effect, he is asking to be dropped ( fired,
sounds horrible, but that’s the more accurate word). It’s now a contest of who
blinks first. Will Sandeep Patil and gang have the guts to say, “ Thanks bro.
But guess what? It’s time to walk.” Sachin has shrewdly lobbed the ball into
their court, insisting the decision has to come from them. This is really not
cricket, his many admirers are admitting reluctantly. Gavaskar, the smartest
player of all time in every sense of the term, is saying Sachin will not go
quietly, but go with a roar. How many more roars does Sachin need? The first
big roar was the World Cup. Sachin didn’t go after that historic win. Then came
his milestone century( which took ages). He stuck on. Now comes this
embarrassing public debate. Kapil, as always, has been more blunt – “The
problem is Sachin does not speak about it ( retirement) openly….” Of course,
Sachin doesn’t… and won’t. His line has been consistent (and tedious). “ I play
for India. So long as I can contribute to my country, I see no reason to stop…”
Excuse us, but don’t the other cricketers also play for India? Is Sachin the
only patriotic player we have? But it’s a statement that has reinforced his
image as a committed player India cannot do without. Never mind the track
record (153 runs in 10 innings – the lowest by any Indian top player during the
same time frame).Never mind the age factor Sachin turns 40 next year. This is
one call Sachin will have to make himself, difficult as it is. Being a living
legend cannot be all that easy. Along with the considerable perks (and let’s
not forget staggering monetary ones), there is the larger-than –life existence
that dominates every waking moment. Legends never have it easy, particularly
sports’ legends, whose shelf life is determined by the level of fitness. Once
the peak physical form passes, rapid decline follows. It happens to everyone –
from prize fighters, footballers, racing car drivers, swimmers, track athletes,
basketball players. How can it spare cricketers, no matter how gifted?

Sorry, Sachin…India will love you forever
and ever. Promise. But for now… for your sake and ours …quit while you are
ahead. Ricky Ponting se kuch seekhlo…..that’s how it’s done, bro!

*****************

This appeared in Hello! Let me know how you feel about it....

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Spent an enchanted evening hosted by Dom Perignon at the magnificent Umaid Bhavan Palace in Jodhpur. I have some great pics which will tell their own story... let it be said, there was magic in the desert air, as sixty lucky guests were transported to another zone, while Bapji Jodhpur ( the erstwhile Maharajah) played the gracious host in a salon built by his grand mother, and rarely opened to the public... and what a grand salon it is - the only portion of the superbly maintained palace that borrows heavily from the Art Deco era.

22 comments:

I have always been an ardent fan of Michael Schumacher. He was the one who got me interested in motorsports. Schumacher did a lot to restore German pride. I guess sports legends don't like to fade away just like that. The following quote by George Orwell describes sports exactly the way it is 'Serious sport has nothing to do with fair play. It is bound up with hatred, jealousy, boastfulness, disregard of all rules and sadistic pleasure in witnessing violence. In other words, it is war minus the shooting.' Sachin is fortunate for most other sports are unforgiving to age, where reaching thirties is the end, a gymnasts' career lasts much less hitting peak at 22 or even at 18.Even the Bollywood Kings don't like to quit and make way for new stars. B Queens come and go, but their counterparts refuse to let go, I fail to understand this intriguing anomaly.Your conversation with Netaji is quite witty and piquant. Oh yes, Spittoons for government offices does make a lot of sense.

I could not read your netaji conversation. I couldnt enlarge it. Sachin should retire if he is no longer steller. Is he? I dont follow cricket so much. But even if he does not want to leave first class cricket, surely he does not get automatically selected for the side for just existing? Surely the team selectors can see if he is not playing at his best.

For a non sporting, non race track building (except for the very recent gurgaon budwhatever), non race car engineering and non driver producing (except of Kartikeyan and the billion bad drivers), nation... I have never understood the decade long desi preoccupation with foreign car racing or foreign soccer teams. How does Le Mans or what Arsenal or Chelsea do figure in the lives of amm aadmi? Why does homegrown Mohan Bagan or East Bengal football remain on the fringe? Why are the paying fans so ridiculous?Perhaps I have caught the American attitude towards racing which is pretty much sniffed at as lucrative but extremely declasse.

Dear Ms. Shobhaa De,I am a regular reader of your Saturday’s column in Deccan Chronicle, and I relish your articles on various topics.Though I am far from being an MCP, I’m tempted to say you are the only female fan among millions of Sachin’s to boldly ask him to retire.I’ve attached a few of my scribbles written in non-prose form on Sachin’s retirement, which I hope you would find interesting.With regards,Yours sincerely,N. Swaminathan.

De couldnt read your interview except the words in bold print,loved your photo looking stunning.even older interviews i had to strain my eyes to read ,i managed somehow thinking there must be some problem with my laptop,but reading other blog friends post,even they are facing the same problem.About sachin paaaji honestly iam bored, a taurean( a fixed sign) by sun sign no point telling him anything its a stubborn sign he will do what he feels right or when he feels right till then .......or as you put the selection commitee shows him out.let see.i know you have been putting in your column about this retiring thing but you may feel tired of writing about his pending retirement but sachin paaji will retire only when he wants to if we leave the decision to him.

@all those who couldn't read the interview, just right click on the image, then choose the option open in a new tab/page. There you have it a magnified image I.e. original size.If still you didn't get it here's the link, copy and pastyour browser http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gKn6ScMDsvY/ULuQjZxCX_I/AAAAAAAACL4/1LJNQHhlaQs/s1600/Sethji,+Hello+(Monthly),+Mumbai,+Nov12.jpg.jpg

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